It doesn’t bother me in the least to say that I love the old holiday movies and a number of the remakes/updates. There have been a lot of versions of “It’s A Wonderful Life”, most of them good, and I’m truly torn between “The Bishop’s Wife” and “The Preacher’s Wife”. I still think that George C. Scott in “A Christmas Carol” is one of the best versions, but I love “Scrooged”.
“Miracle on 34th Street” is another one that they did well with the remake even though I lean toward the original with young Natalie Wood. Hallmark of course has a string of holiday movies that are always enjoyable to watch. My husband rolls his eyes at the whole holiday movie bit since there usually aren’t explosions or aliens involved. This is another of those arrangements that you come to in a marriage. Since the holiday movies run on a variety of channels between now and New Year’s, I can indulge myself with afternoon shows (or record them) and he doesn’t have to watch.
So, okay, out there – chime in with your favorites and any remakes/updates that you like, and I’m not sure that “Bad Santa” qualifies.
Every year my friend and I get together to watch “Love Actually”. To us, it is the perfect (albeit slightly naughty in parts) holiday film. Simply hearing songs from the soundtrack is enough to make my heart smile.
I haven’t seen “Love Actually” yet, but I heard it was good. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Hooray for DVR.
Charlie
The 1951 remake of A Christmas Carol, starring Alistair Sim, is my favorite Christmas movie, and I think it’s by far the best adaptation of the story. For some reason, at my elementary school, they used to show us Grey Friar’s Bobby as a Christmas movie–although I don’t understand why, because it’s one of the saddest movies ever made. But, it’s embedded in my psyche because we watched it every year on the last school day before Christmas. Has anybody but me ever seen it?
Grey Friar’s Bobby? I can’t say that I’ve ever heard of it and you’re right in that showing a sad movie at Christmas would stick in your memory. The 1951 Christmas Carol is a good one, too.
Charlie